Our first dormant fruit trees, Figs and Pomegranates, have arrived just in time for holiday gift giving and early planting. These trees are liner pot (4" square, 10" deep) grown because they have a much better success rate than those from bare-root. We offer 4 varieties of figs and 10 varieties of pomegranates for those with discriminating tastes. Both figs and pomegranates grow well here and can be grown in tree form, as espaliers and even in containers. Add them to your kitchen garden as both are widely used in both sweet and savory dishes. Yum!

Black Mission Fig is the most popular of the dark-skinned figs. It is a heavy bearer of rich tasting, purplish-black fruit with strawberry colored flesh. It dries well, can be canned and is good eaten fresh. Brown Turkey Fig has a brownish purple skin and pink flesh. It is sweet with a rich flavor and is best eaten fresh. Janice Seedless Fig is a new Kadota white variety. Its pale fruit is large, sweet and delicious with almost no seeds. Panache (Tiger) Fig is a small to medium size fruit with exceptional flavor. It’s called tiger because the fruit is striped green and yellow. Even the stems are striped!

Pomegranates are high in anti-oxidants and are one of the healthiest fruits for you. They range in flavor from Sweet (simply sweet) to Sharp Velvet (really tart and sweet). Wonderful is the best known variety with a familiar balance of sweet and tart. Ambrosia, Grenada, and Garnet Sash taste much like Wonderful but vary in size and color of fruit and size of tree. Kashmir and Red Silk are tarter than Wonderful but not quit as explosive as Sharp Velvet. Pink Satin and Eversweet are virtually seedless. All are delicious!

Images and descriptions of both pomegranates and figs can be found on our website, yamagamisnursery.com in our 2008 Fruit Tree Catalog. While you are there, look at all the other fruit arriving in January. You can always give a gift certificate for a specific fruit listed. Give a garden gift that will keep on giving, a fruit tree from Yamagami’s Nursery!

By Carolyn Villa-Scott, Advanced CCN Pro, Master Fruit Taster

Decorate the outside of your home with a warm and cheery indoor holiday scene. It's like a peek into Santa's domain. These beautiful works of art from Australia are by acclaimed UK artist, Malcolm Horton. They are packaged with their frame in a handy tube where they can be stored for years and years of decorating charm. They are weatherproof, waterproof, windproof, and resistant to sub-zero temperatures as well as sweltering heat. Measuring about 31" by 47" they are realistically window-sized. They are perfect for a blank wall or garage door. Enhance them with lights for an after dark show too.

Garden getting a little wild and you aren’t sure where and how to start taming it? Brush up on your winter gardening skills with a little help from Yamagami’s Nursery. Resident experts and a couple of local professionals share their expertise in pruning and winter garden maintenance. Classes generally last between 1 and 2 hours with plenty of time afterward for questions. Although classes are held under cover, we recommend dressing warmly and bringing a cushion for your folding chair. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be available. Don’t miss out! 

Winter Rose Care Class with Lorena Gorsche. Lorena, Yamagami’s rose expert, will cover pruning, dormant spraying and general rose care for healthy plants and spectacular blooming. Lorena emphasizes a natural, least toxic possible approach to rose growing. Fee of $20 is rebated back in the form of a coupon good for merchandise. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Sessions offered Sat., Jan. 12 at 10 AM, Wed. Jan 16 at 10 AM, Sun, Jan. 20 at 2 PM and Sun, Feb. 3 at 2 PM. 

Winter Fruit Tree Care with Bradley Strawhorn. Bradley, pruning specialist, will demonstrate basic fruit tree pruning techniques and tools, then discuss dormant spraying and general fruit tree care. Fee of $20 is rebated back in the form of a coupon good for merchandise. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Sessions offered Sat. Jan 12 at 2 PM and Sunday. Jan 13 at 2 PM. 

Pruning 101 with Alan Tagami, Landscape Consultant. Many plants benefit from winter pruning, but some do not. Learn from an expert what and how to prune in winter. Alan will cover tools and techniques for the home gardener. Fee of $20 is rebated back in the form of a coupon good for merchandise. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Sessions offered Sat. Jan. 19 at 10AM and 2 PM and again Sun. Feb 10 at 2 PM. 

A First for us! Advanced Fruit Tree Pruning and Shaping with Mark Barton, Certified Arborist. Learn how to lower an overgrown, previously unpruned tree; how to espalier a tree, and how to maximize harvest in limited space. Fee of $20 is rebated back in the form of a coupon good for merchandise. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Sessions offered Sun. Jan 27 at 2 PM, and Sat. Feb. 2 at 10 AM and 2 PM. 

Pruning Japanese Maples with Alan Tagami, Landscape Consultant. Learn how to bring out the natural beauty of your trees. Fee of $20 is rebated back in the form of a coupon good for merchandise. Space is limited so prepaid registration is requested. Walk-ins will be allowed only as space permits. Sessions offered Sat. Feb. 16 at 10 AM and 2 PM, Sun. Feb. 17 at 2 PM, and Sat 2/23 at 10 AM.  

With the cold temperatures of winter comes the possibility of frost, which can damage the plants in your landscape. While most plants usually leaf out again when the weather warms, some plants don't fare as well.

Frost damages plants when the foliage loses moisture faster than the plants can replace it. This can happen because the soil is dry or because the water or moisture in the ground normally available to the plant is frozen. Most frost damage can be prevented by understanding and following a few basic principles.

There are definite warning signs that can help determine the possibility of a hard frost. If you notice low temperatures (45° or lower at 10 p.m.), a clear sky, little to no breeze, and dry air at bedtime, bring any potted plants that might be at risk into the garage or at least under a porch roof or eaves.

For plants in the ground (and outside potted plants), make sure the soil is moist when frost is expected. Moist soil holds and releases more heat than dry soil, which will help create a more humid environment around the plant when the frost pulls moisture from the foliage of the plant. Never hose down a plant in the morning after a frost. Allow the plants to thaw naturally and gradually, or you may rupture the plant cells in the leaf tissue.

There are products that can help prevent frost damage. Spraying frost-tender plants with Cloud Cover, an anti-transpirant, will help provide 2-4 degrees of extra insulation from the cold by reducing the amount of moisture a plant gives off. Anti-transpirants are non-toxic and dry clear.

The most protective measure is to actually cover tender plants. We recommend the handy, reusable drawstring bags from Frost Pro-Tek or the Easy Gardener Plant and Seed Blanket, which is on a roll. This can help prevent frost damage by providing an extra 2-6 degrees of protection. These clear covers can be left on day and night and can be draped directly on plants. If you choose to use blankets, burlap or plastic, make sure to fasten them securely over frames or stakes so that they do not touch the plant. Otherwise they will transfer the cold directly to the plant and damage whatever they are touching. Remove these coverings during the daytime to allow the plants to absorb sunlight.

If you don't already have mulch around your plants, add a 2-3" layer of mulch or top dressing like Mini Mulch. This helps the soil retain moisture and stay warmer, as well as giving the roots some insulation from the cold.

Wait to prune frost-sensitive plants until after (usually mid-March) the danger of frost has passed and new growth has started. If your plant is injured, leave the damaged foliage on the plant so it will act as a protective layer to the foliage beneath. Trimming the plant too early may stimulate new growth that can be damaged by further frosts.

If you have any questions about which plants to protect, just ask one of Yamagami's garden experts. We'll be happy to help you make sure you're equipped properly to fend off the damaging effects of frost. Pick up a copy of our FREE "How to Protect your Garden from Jack Frost" Guides for even more ideas. Yamagami’s Nursery helped you choose those plants, and we want you to succeed...the first time!